Artificial Office Plants – Pro and Cons

Plastic and Silk Ornaments That Look Like Plants

“Plants clean, plant-shaped ornaments pollute” – Dr. Ronald Wood PhD BSc. (UTS)
(The doctor is referring to the outgassing of volatile organic compounds and dust catching characteristics of plastic plants).

Pros – Reasons to use plastic (polymerized petroleum)

Artificial indoor plants do have some benefits: 

• No water,
• No dropping leaves,
• No servicing.

Cons – Reasons not to use plastic ornaments that look like indoor plants

• Just a static ornament – no growth, new leaves or budding flowers,
• Fake is fake and real is real, I am sorry if you cannot tell the difference,
• Dust collectors.  They need cleaning every 6 weeks. But because they are plastic and assumed maintenance free, nobody cleans them.
• Fire Hazard, unless they have been fire retarded they will quickly ignite,
• Fading colours. Have you ever wondered why plastic plants look blue, not green – they fade!
• VOCs – Real plants clean the air. It has been proven in laboratory testing that real plants remove Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) from the air.
• Humidity – Real plants improve humidity,
• Oxygen – Real plants add oxygen to the air,
• Stress – Real plants need someone to look after them. It is amazing how important our service staff are to their customers.  Everyone is always happy to see the plant man or woman.  We represent “NO STRESS” and a quick break in the day’s routine.
• Real plants are a talking point for many people,
• Never outdated – Real plants live, grow and get old and then we replace them with something different, fake plants soon become outdated,
• Fake plants end up in the corner and no one cares – what a waste of money,
• Fake plants are expensive,
• Fake plants contribute to global pollution.

One Last Point

In what sort of world do you want to live?

An artificial one or a real one.

True – artificial plants are suitable for offices without natural light, but who wants to work in such a space.

It has been proven that natural light is beneficial for the well-being of humans.

What is good for plants is good for humans.